


Of Pirates and Princes

by Taupefox59



Category: Poldark (TV 2015), Return to Treasure Island (TV 1996)
Genre: M/M, Magic, Mermaids, No historical research whatsoever, Pirates, everyone lives happily ever after
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-05 13:01:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6705445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taupefox59/pseuds/Taupefox59
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ross is a pirate captain, and Jim is the merman who's been a part of his crew. When the ship gets attacked, everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Pirates and Princes

**Author's Note:**

> Un-beta'd, so if you catch anything, please let me know! Con/Crit always welcome!

‘You have go, you can’t stay here.’ Ross’s voice was salt-sore and cracking. He looked around the boat. ‘No one will say anything, but you have to go now.’

‘And that’s just it then.’ Jim spat bitterly. ‘It doesn’t matter what I’ve done. I still get shunted off at the first opportunity.’ 

‘That isn’t fair.’ Ross growled, but his eyes were glistening with tears. ‘You know if things were different, if there was anything at all-’

‘Then just let me stay! You know I can help!’

‘You’re weak on two legs.’ Ross reminded him. ‘They’re going to try and burn the ship. Last time your tail nearly _burned_ Jim. You would be trapped forever!’

‘And that’s my risk to take!’

‘It isn’t and you know that. You know these sailors. Do you think that any of them would stay on a ship with a trapped mer?’

‘They don’t seem to have a problem with it now!’

‘Because you’re not stuck here!’ Ross shouted, ‘You act like we don’t know who you are!’

‘Apparently you don’t.’ Jim growled.

‘Or maybe you’ve forgotten!’ Ross shot back ‘You are the prince of this sea! Your people know where you are! Do you think they would let us go if something happened to you?’

‘I would explain it to them!’ But Jim could feel the foundations of his arguments slipping from underneath him.

‘Jim, you have to leave now!’ Tears were starting to run freely down his face, but Ross ignored them. ‘Nothing can happen to you!’

‘Because you’re too afraid of what-if’s.’ Jim hissed, bitterly.

‘No.’ Ross said, reaching out as if to brush his hand along Jim’s face, but he pulled it back at the moment, hovering, so close but not touching. ‘Jim, I can’t-’ Ross swallowed. ‘You are...you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in this world. I can’t bear to see you hurt.’

Jim leaned into hand that Ross held in the air, reached up and trapped it there with his own hand. ‘So you’d rather see the last of me, then believe me when I speak.’

‘I _do_ believe you.’ Ross said gruffly. ‘You’re more capable than anyone else on this ship. More than me. But you can’t stay here.’ He pulled his hand away from Jim, and reached for the bag near his hip. He opened the top and took out the skin. The iridescent, shimmering skin of Jim’s tail.

‘Don’t give this back to me.’ Jim said, taking a step back. ‘I don’t want it.’ 

Ross clenched his jaw shut so he didn’t scream in frustration. He pointed to the masts on the horizon that were steadily getting closer. He leaned forward and brought his voice down to a whisper ‘Do you think we’re going to win, Jim? We’re some of the last. There’s only so much running a person can do.’

Jim stared. Never before had he heard Ross speak with anything other than the utmost confidence about their future prospects. It was true that the navies were growing, and every time they hit a port there were new tales of Pirates being found and ‘brought to justice’. Ross had always spoken as if it would never happen to them, and Jim had believed. Jim had let himself get caught up in the joyful fantasy, the life of creaking wood, and new sights. A life of following the stars on clear nights, tucked up against Ross’s side.

‘You don’t believe that.’ Jim said, but he was shaken.

Ross shook his head. ‘I promised you once. I told you I would never lie to you.’

‘Lie to me now Ross, tell me you’re not planning to die today.’

Ross grinned dark and feral. ‘A pirate plans to die every day, Jim, you of all people should know that. The sea is a cruel mistress, after all.’

‘Ross…’ Jim didn’t know what to say.

Ross took the skin and thrust it into Jim’s chest. Jim’s arms came up automatically to hold it. ‘Jim.’ Ross’s voice was soft, and incongruent with the bright, shining sun and the noise of the crew preparing the ship for a fight. ‘Jim. I love you. You need to leave.’

Jim didn’t try to hold back the tears that were burning in his eyes. He stepped forward and kissed Ross ferociously, wishing that it was enough, wishing that anything could be different. He pressed his tongue in, trying to memorize the taste of Ross’s mouth, sea salt and stale grog. The chapped feeling of Ross’s lips against his. The quiet, desperate noise that Ross made when Jim would tug on his hair. Jim held them together, trying to drink it all in, trying to exist in that moment forever. His lungs were burning, but he didn’t let go until he started to feel dizzy. He ran his hand down the scar on Ross’s face. ‘I don’t want to go.’

Ross blinked, as if that would somehow stop his tears. ‘You know it’s the only way.’

Jim felt as though his chest was cracking open. He took a step back. ‘Give us a smile, Poldark!’ His voice was cracking, but he said it anyway. ‘You almost look like you’re having a bad day!’

Ross choked out a laugh, and smiled as best he could. ‘You would know, you daft mermaid.’ He replied.

Jim couldn’t take anymore. He ran to the side of the ship and leapt, knowing that the ocean’s embrace would welcome him.

  
  
  


***

 

Jim had left the ship, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave the waters. Ross had been right. Cannons tore through the hull of the ship as if it were made of soggy paper. Fighting had broken out, there had been fire, masts cracked and fell into the ocean. Jim tried his best to keep track of the action above the water, but he couldn’t in his mer form. Not so soon after transforming. If he tried to spend too much time above the water in his current state, he could permanently damage his gills. 

He did see when Ross’s ship started to sink. When a final round had been fired, even though she was already on her way down.

Everything that Jim had known for the past seven years, gone in a matter of minutes. He couldn’t help himself, he swam towards the sinking ship. It had been his home for so long. He couldn’t simply watch her go down.

He swam in through the gaping wound in her side. There was so little left. The ocean was greedy and she was pulling out as much as she could, sucking in trinkets and tools and signs of life, pulling out anything she could reach.

It was dangerous to be swimming into a ship wreck. Anything could shift, he could easily be trapped, and left helpless and alone at the bottom of the sea. Still, Jim swam on. Beams were crashing down all around him, huge barrels came out of nowhere to tumble into the depths of the sea.

Jim swam up the stairs to what used to be the deck, and that was when he saw it. Floating, and chained to the wheel of the ship.

Ross.

Jim swam frantically over, checking for any signs of life. Ross wasn’t breathing, didn’t respond, when Jim opened his eyes. In desperation, Jim checked for a pulse.

He found one.

The ship was still sinking, pulling them both down.

But Jim was of the sea. Even though he’d spent in the air, even though Ross had been correct in calling the sea a cruel mistress… None of it mattered.

Jim was of the sea, and even though it had been in a different way, Ross had been of the sea too. And that would be enough.

Jim closed his eyes and focused, throwing his awareness out. He could feel every push of the tide, every drifting fleck of coastal sand. He could feel the movement of every tiny, invisible fish, could feel the songs of the whales; could hear the heartbeat of the man in front of him.

Jim swam forward and once again brought their mouths together. This time, he was dragging Ross with him. There would be no more mourning. This wasn’t about the end of anything. This was a new beginning, all of the life that they were going to build together. This was the honest promise of a world that couldn’t be cut short, a life where there was  no fear of white sails on the horizon. Ross would get to learn the true meaning that came from exploring the endless depths of the ocean.

Ross’s body was jerking around him, but Jim held on, pushing forward with everything that he had. Every golden moment between them, the sparkling giddy laughter that they had shared with no witness except the moon. The feel of Ross teaching Jim how to use his legs, the feeling of calloused hands keeping him steady as he stumbled across the room. The warm steady heat of Ross’s body in their bed. The electric bliss that they’d found in each other. 

Through it all, was Ross’s heartbeat. Where it had started soft and thready, now, when Jim closed his eyes and focused on it, he could hear that it was beating in sync with his own.

Finally, Jim pulled back. Ross blinked up at him in wonder and confusion.  
With a wild grin, Jim released him from his chains and took his hand. It would be a lot to get used to, but they had forever to do it. They swam away from the wreckage of what used to be the ship, two shimmering tails flashing in the murky ocean light.

**Author's Note:**

> I've got a fandom tumblr [here](http://taupefox59.tumblr.com/), and I'm always more than happy to chat!


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